Not Kipawa Trip Report - Edinboro Lake 7-21-20 4:25 PM

[Hodgey1]

Step one for any recovery is realizing you have a problem. I've got a problem. I have just been a d_ - _ k to be around lately. I don't like being around me right now. 

I yelled at my sweet Stella "9 YO Lab" for wagging her tail too loudly, i've been ignoring the cracks in cement and purposefully stepping on them. I watched CNN and then ripped a "do not remove" tag from my pillow I was weeping into. I went thru the 8 items or less line at the store, with knowing I had 9 items! Gezzz Its bad.

Ugh, couple the insanity of the current world/USA situation with my Kipawa trip being canceled next week, then sprinkle in no viable back-up plan made due to other complications and I am miserable. I haven't even had my boat in the water......... What?

So I took a few baby steps forward towards my recovery, which has made me feel a tiny bit better.

1: Cleaned and tidied up the boat
2: Restrung some new line on my trolling reels
3: Took my grandson fishing
4: Figure out Kipawa replacement plan

Here is our Trip report for step 3:

I arrived at home from work yesterday at 3:30 and loaded the boat with 3-4 waters and one can of Coca-Cola . Five minutes later arrives my trip mates, Kyle "my Son-in-law" with my 7 YO grandson Jameson "Papa calls him J-Bears" . The anticipation of the outing was electric, the maiden 2020 voyage of the SS Fat Bass-----. Kyle had the dozen or so tiny worms he and J Bears dug and we were on the road by 4:10 pm. The conversation while heading to our fishing spot was filled with Lego and Star Wars talk and the fact that the can of Coke i packed, goes to the person with the biggest fish of the day. 4:25 we arrive at Lake Edinboro. Its a crappy, E-Coli filled lake, formed some thousands of years ago by a glacier, that didn't do a very good job. Its tiny "240 acres" of swamp and mostly very shallow "3-10' " water and weed infested, the deepest I think is 25'. I don't want to over hype the lake for fear that Canadians may begin flocking here to fish this jewel.

There's no HP restriction and it has a small area of cottages so the boat traffic is horrific with boats making a counter clockwise and continued buzz in circles,,,,,,,UGH, its dizzying to watch. Definitely not even a bit close to Kipawa........ not even a little.

I have lived close by all of my adult life and never really fished it, because of the boat traffic and having never once heard anyone say "oh man the fishing was hot on Edinboro" so my expectations were low. All i hoped for was a system check on the boat and possibly a sunfish or two for J Bears.

We're in the water by 4:40 and off to find some fish. Most all of the water I was seeing was polluted with weeds. I found a spot near some Lilly pads and set up the ipilot to anchor us. We get J Bears set-up with his Zebco push button "Snoopy addition" and a worm on a jig with a bobber. It is now 4:50 and Jbears says "Papa is there fish in this Lake?" I say of course. Ten minutes later, Jbears says "Papa, there's no fish in this Lake" I break into a lecture about karma and how he was upsetting our feng shui as his eyes glassed over, with the look of "Papa, your whack"   

Suddenly the little red & white bobber disappears and J Bears shrieks "I have a fish".......GAME ON!       The snoopy was winning and giving up line, I reach over and adjust the drag as frantic J Bears repeats over and over "I have a fish". After what seemed like days, the fish nears the boat and I grab it. It was a beauty! Near mountable 4" pumpkin seed sunfish. This made everyone happy, especially the old fat guy, since during the feng shui discussion I had to hear about his other pap taking him brookie fishing at his camp and he'd caught four! The monkey was now off my back...YES...YES!

I grab the ipilot remote, pull anchor "hit the off button" and troll over closer to the Lilly pads and Jbears casts and almost immediately a fish break water and hits the line. J Bears yanks on Snoopy and the fish comes off, I say to J bears "too much slack in your line sonny"  Minutes later, bobber down, bobber down!  The shriek "I have a fish" rings out. I watch and see ole Snoopy struggling... This is a real fish I think, maybe a nice fish. I jump up and tighten the drag a little cause Snoppy is whining again for real as the polls bending. J continues to fight the monster for what seems like hours!  As it final tires and start in towards the boat. I grab the net and scoop up one really nice large mouth. Smiles and high fives everywhere.

I think Brook trout ain't got Jack on this baby. YES grandpa stripe earned.  We took a quick photo and got it back to the water asap. I then I grabbed the cooler, reached in and popped the tab on that Coke and handed it to the best fisherman of the day, J Bears.

We finished out our day with 3 Blue Gills and one nice Large Mouth, not a bad outing.

The trip home was solemn as we all knew, we would have to wait hours if not days till we get the chance to do it all over again.

[smitty55]

Great story Chris, the humour I hope is as good an antidepressant as you hope too.
Cheers

[Ozzy30]

Nice Hodgey, sometimes it's just about getting out and spending some time with friends and family.

[Jay Thomas]

A really great read Chris. Thanks for sharing.

Jay

[Greg]

That's a great maiden voyage for 2020.

Humor gets an 8.5 out of 10   

[Oarin]

Great trip!! Thanks.

[Captain Steve]

Great  job Chris! Grandkids are the greatest, even when they out-fish us! LOL!!! My Granddaughter is only 20 months old and I cant wait for her to fish! Thanks for the report!  That sure is a nice bass! Congratulations to your grandson! He will remember this trip forever!!!
Stay safe!
Steve

[Tree cutter]

That’s funny. Here I was just gripping about not being able to cross the border and your fishing a lake that I have driving by my whole life and never fished. I agree it’s hard fishing these lakes around here after you go to Canada. We are planning a 2 day trip on Tionesta lake just to sit around a fire and drink beer and ride around in a fishing boat to watch all the ski boats go flying by us. I doubt we will even fish maybe after dark to catch some bullheads for the heck of it.

[Hodgey1]

Thanks everyone for all the nice comments, I really appreciate it. I truly have been struggling and getting it out with some humor here did seem to help some. Grandchildren are the best!

All the accounts in the story were mostly the truth, with the  exception of the part about me yelling at Stella, I could never do that! Lol

[Hodgey1]

That’s funny. Here I was just gripping about not being able to cross the border and your fishing a lake that I have driving by my whole life and never fished. I agree it’s hard fishing these lakes around here after you go to Canada. We are planning a 2 day trip on Tionesta lake just to sit around a fire and drink beer and ride around in a fishing boat to watch all the ski boats go flying by us. I doubt we will even fish maybe after dark to catch some bullheads for the heck of it.

@Tree cutter  I would not ever recommend wasting your time fishing Edinboro, but I have heard that there are huge Musky? I’m not a Musky fishing guy. I’d take a day bobbing around Kipawa right now though. Canada has me ruined for certain!

Do you live near Tionesta, it a beautiful area.

[Tree cutter]

I live in the Titusville area not to far away from Tionesta. I grew up near the big town of Townville if you now where that is. If you blink your through it but it was a great area to grow up. Lots of trout streams and small lakes around the area.

[RHYBAK]

Truly a great report Hodgey1
A great humorous read
and a nice sized bass.

[T-Bone]

Way to go Hodgey! Time to get your grandson set-up with a real reel and rod! Hang in there bud...and know you're not alone in your saltiness about not going up tomorrow. Dag.

[NortonJoe]

Great read! Some of my best times fishing were with my son when he was little...can't wait for grandkids old enough to go!

[limacharley]

Great read Chris but I think the grandson was really using your rod wasn't he?